Broken Glass
by SkyB
Summary: Felicity finds out who is the new villain they've been tracking. She ends up in the lair bruised and wounded... rated M just because I'm not entirely sure so rather be strict here. It contains explicit violence. Based loosely on info released in interviews for the upcoming season 3.
1. Revelation

Note: Well, this has been playing in my head too much for me not to get it out there in writing :) Haven't read many of the Ray fics out there, so this is my view of him based on what we know so far. It depicts the show down between Felicity and Ray. Originally a one-shot, but as I was writing, a continuation (Oliver's response) started playing out in my head so... let me know if you like it and if you think more is in order :)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own the show. All belongs to CW and DC.

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><p>Felicity was staring at her reflection in the lair's silent bathroom, feeling mortified. Not because she felt guilty for anything that has happened. She knew without the shadow of a doubt she was right in her stand, in her actions, and that she would do the exact same thing all over again if she had to. Well, apart perhaps for the part where she took her stand against him while alone, unprotected.<p>

She started placing bandages on the cuts on her forehead and jaw. Lucky enough they weren't too deep – she knew the shattered glass wall she was tossed through during the altercation could have damaged her much worse. She didn't bother bandaging the stinging cuts on her hands and forearms, thinking that may disturb her work on the computers.

She had a fleeting thought of putting bandages over some of the more gruesome blue and purple bruises that were scattered on the visible parts of her legs and arms, just to cover them up from Oliver and Digg who would have a fit when they see her. But, she respected their relationship too much for that. They deserved to know the whole truth and she should never feel she has to hide anything from them. They were her family. Oliver… was even more.

As she kneeled to put the elastic bandage on her twisted, swollen ankle she had a flashback to the same position – kneeling on the floor, trying to catch her breath just after the first strike he landed on her when he discovered her trying to stop the program on his computer. It really shouldn't have shocked her to find out the villain they were seeking was right there in front of them – it seemed to be the way villains worked, she thought half-amused.

For months she, Oliver, Digg and Roy were tracking what was building up to be a horrifying trail of evidence against a heinous plan against not only starling city but the entire country. It was as if someone was hell-bent on 'cleaning' up society – but not like Merlin had with the people of the glades, or even Oliver with the criminals of the city, be they high or low profile. No, this new player was the most dangerous of all. He seemed to be targeting the foundations that made society work – police, courts, government. They were his enemies, and that made him a very dangerous risk.

Felicity smiled bitterly thinking how the villain was the one she worked so closely with, even dated a few times. And eventually it was just her insistent gut feeling that made her poke around and discover it. How could she have missed it? And why did she poke around alone? That wasn't her brightest idea she admitted to herself as she reviewed the bruises on her thighs caused by him – by Ray.

She straightened up, and looked at her reflection again. Her top was ripped at the shoulder, revealing some of the bra, and her skirt was missing a few pieces of fabric that used to drape around the waste, but nothing too revealing. She was barefoot after her high heel broke when he shoved her through the glass wall after telling him she would never agree to his actions, not to mention join him. Ray was a very strong, big man. She admired his superman-like physique in the past, but far less when all that muscle power was directed at her.

She could see in the unveiling conversation after he found her at his computer that he really believed in his cause. Just like Oliver had. But, unlike Oliver, Ray was too far gone to see reason, all his good intentions morbidly misdirected. And he hurt innocents. When she tried to leave was when he got truly, scary violent. He said he didn't want to hurt her but he can't have her telling Oliver or anyone of his plan. She stepped back feeling his intentions and still fearful from his initial strike but he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the floor.

"I'm so sorry I have to do this, Felicity. I never wanted you to get hurt, on the contrary. You're very special to me. But this, this can't get in the way of my mission…" Ray said as he pushed her against a wall, still strangling her and holding her in the air. The push against the wall gave her the momentum she needed to kick out hard and land the kick in his knee. He dropped her, surprised by the shot of pain, and she, coughing and catching her breath, tried to put some distance between them.

Ray was faster. He grabbed at her shirt, and a tearing sound was heard. It delayed her just a bit – enough for him to grab her skirt and hair and push her onto a wall – a glass wall this time, which broke as Felicity went flying through it. She fell to the floor and Ray tried getting on top of her. She scrambled away but he grabbed her legs and pulled her towards him, climbing on top of her, straddling her and grabbing her arms as she tried to throw punches his way.

"No, stop! Ray, you don't have to do this, please! There are other ways to help people, to make life better, please…" But reasoning with him was pointless. He grabbed both her hands with one of his, bent over her so his face was an inch from hers, and caressed her cheek. "I'm sorry, Felicity, I really am. I appreciate you, and I really thought you would understand. Perhaps you still might… Come with me, willingly. I won't hurt you, just witness my operation. Maybe over time – you'll want to help." Ray's lips brushed against hers as they had in the past, on their dates, but this time she did not appreciate it so much.

"Ray, I could try and lie to you but you know me as well as I know you – you know I could never help someone commit such crimes. Please get off of me, let me go." Felicity hoped the emotion evoked in him would do the trick but Ray only looked back at her with sadness. "Ray, you know how the dice rolls. Oliver will find out what you're up to soon enough, and killing me will barely put a dent in that or in his battle against you. Please… you don't have to do this."

She could see something clicking in his eyes and suddenly he got off her, pulled her up and turned his back. "Go, Felicity, before I regret it. Leave. My plan is too far ahead for you or your friends to do anything to stop it anyway. And you all will have a place in the new order that will come. But beware," he turned to her with cold sadness and resolution in his eyes, "interfere in my plans, try to stop me in any way – and all of you will suffer. You know I mean it." Felicity nodded and limped as quickly as she could outside, heading for the lair, where she was now standing, looking at her bandaged, beaten body, mortified. She wasn't mortified with the confusion and shame of not knowing it was Ray all along. No, she was mortified because she knew how much pain she was going to cause Oliver when he saw her like that.

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><p>Would really love your feedback!<p> 


	2. Face On

Note: You guys, your response, it blew me, it really did. This is maybe my second fic ever and I couldn't imagine such a warm response from readers. Thank you! Here is the first part (out of two) of the 'reaction' part that's playing in my mind. I really hope it's not a let down.. more of Oliver's questions and responses in the next chapter.

Please leave your comments and feedback - they're great encouragement.

Enjoy!

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><p>Oliver stopped in his tracks at the bottom of the stairs. Digg bumped straight into him "What's up man? Oliver?" But Oliver didn't answer, his breath was gone. He was looking at a pair of broken high heels, and a bag thrown on the table. Felicity's bag, contents spilled and large smears of blood on it. The world seemed like he was experiencing it through a bubble, blood rushing in his ears. "Felicity!? FELICITY!" Oliver snapped into action and called as he started running into the lair, looking frantically around.<p>

Felicity had hoped to change her clothes and fix herself, or at least her appearance, some more before the boys came. However, when she heard their footsteps coming down the stairs she realized she did not move from the mirror for quite a while, reflecting on what happened, reliving it again and again. But now, there was no going around it, she would have to face them, and, hopefully get them focused quickly on Ray and not on her. She took a deep breath and headed out, feeling more pain than she should have by now. She reached the bathroom door just in time to hear him scream her name with anxiety.

"I'm here! I'm fine! Guys… I need to tell you something but please… please promise, or, at least try, Oliver especially you, try to stay calm. Please." Felicity called out through the open door, still standing in the safety of the bathroom. Oliver stopped in the middle of the lair, relieved yet extremely anxious. He and Diggle exchanged concerned looks before he started walking resolutely towards her, bent on making sure she was really fine. "Felicity, what happened?" Oliver called out just as she emerged. He stopped dead in his tracks. His breath was gone from him and he felt an overwhelming wave of shock, worry and a rising rage wash over him. "Felicity…"

Felicity looked as if she'd been through a pack of wolves, beaten, bruised, clothes torn… he quickly recognized large hand-shaped bruises and the rage soared. He saw them on her neck first, his heart dropping in his chest with the realization someone strangled his beautiful, delicate Felicity. Whoever did that was going to suffer hell on earth, he would make sure of that. Then he noticed them on her arms and, as his gaze continued to scan her state, on her thighs, along with scrapes and wounds that carried all the way under the hem of her torn skirt.

He could hear his own pulse and the world seemed to move very strangely. "Felicity…" He came towards her, inspecting her eyes as he gently cupped the cheek that wasn't red and swollen from an obvious back hand strike. "Oliver, I'm fine, really. It looks worse than it really is", she lied as he searched her face. Oliver wasn't buying it. In one swift movement he took her into a tight hug which was as comforting as it was painful for her. He called out to Digg who had already gathered more medical equipment and swooped her in his arms, despite her protests, to take her to the medical bed. They kicked into an emergency state and Felicity didn't quite understand why. They were moving fast, checking Felicity's pupils, asking her about her head, pulling off badly placed bandages and disinfecting her wounds.

"Felicity, I'm sorry, but we have to do this. You gave it a good try but you're in shock and you couldn't really see what you were doing." Digg explained apologetically as he gently moved her onto her side and started pulling small shards of glass from the side of her body that hit the glass riddled floor, including her head. He apologized again as he started going lower shifting and removing parts of clothing to expose more cuts and glasses to be taken care of. Felicity swallowed her pride and modesty, she trusted them.

Oliver, with great effort, left the tender wounds to Diggle, knowing Felicity would be both embarrassed and in need of his support. He fixed his gaze on Felicity's eyes instead of her body. He knew he had to ward off the rage and the onslaught of questions just a little bit longer. With restraint he wasn't sure he had, he smiled at her. "Hang in there, we'll be done soon." He steadied his voice and summoned all the self control he had while looking at her tearful eyes. "Felicity, Who?"

She dreaded the moment she would have to talk about it. It hurt even more than the pain of the stitch she could feel Digg doing. Was she really injured that badly? Funny how the body manages pain when you're in… what was it Digg said… shock? Maybe she was shocked… after all it's not every day you come to a physical showdown with someone, a big, strong, violent someone. Well, at least for her it wasn't a daily thing… Felicity mused to herself until Oliver gently caressed her cheek to bring her attention back and asked again, "who?"

She sighed and looked in his eyes, "the one we've been tracking. I found him."

"What?!" Oliver's heartbeat quickened and he could feel electricity flowing in his body making him want to jump out of his own skin. "You went after him, alone?! Felicity, what… why..."

"I didn't go after him alone, Oliver." Felicity raised her voice to hush his outbreak, "I… stumbled onto him. Alone. Unfortunately." At that she took her eyes from Oliver, feeling tired and sad as what happened started catching up with her. They found the villain, and it's Ray, of all people. Ray, who Oliver detested already. When she'll tell him he's the one who did this to her – Ray would be dead as soon as he could get to him, she was sure of it, and it made her feel sad. Guilty. Oliver would surely kill him, and she will again be the cause for him passing his own red line.

"Who?" Oliver began feeling there was something wrong, even more than was apparent. His gut told him to prepare for another blow as he insisted she gave him the name. He tilted her chin gently and looked at her with softness and acceptance that surprised her, so speaking his name became suddenly easy.

"It's Ray." She saw in his eyes the moment he lost the ability to hold back his rage.

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><p>so... what did you think? Oliver is behaving himself for the meanwhile, but he has some more questions (and answers) to get through. More of this in the next chapter. Would love your feedback!<p> 


	3. Facing Up

Hey fellow Arrow lovers! Thank you so much for your feedback and follows, I am truly honored and hope you will like this chapter - a way to pass a few more minutes until tonight's season premiere! Great thanks and much appreciation to my wonderful Beta.

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><p>"Oliver! Stop! You can't just go after him like some murderous mad man! He is going to expect you, you know. Just, hold on a bit with your arrowish-super-rage and let's plan this out properly!" Felicity called out, trying to get up from the medical bed but Diggle pinned her back down with a piercing stare clarifying that she isn't going anywhere.<p>

Oliver didn't reply. He was already suiting up, only he didn't bother with the suit this time. Instead he went directly to the weapons picking up his bow, slinging it over his shoulder along with a variety of arrows. He then reached for a hand gun, tucked it in the back of his belt and strapped onto himself a belt of grenades and throwing knives.

"Digg! Help me out here…" She implored, scared of what might happen to Oliver if he went out like this. Oliver threw a look Diggle's way as he placed more knives in his boots. He wasn't going to let anyone stop him from using each and every one of his chosen weapons on this b***.

"I am helping you. I'm treating your sprained ankle. And then I'm gonna go help him finish off the b*** who did this to you," Diggle replied calmly and Felicity couldn't believe what she was hearing. She could see Oliver's look becoming more determined upon hearing Diggle's words.

"Digg? You can't be serious!" She could feel more of her strength leaving her as exasperation, fear and concern were overflowing her already tired body.

"Oh, I'm dead serious, Felicity. He's going down, today. Regardless of anything else he may be planning, there's no way that son of a b*** is walking around after doing this to you. No way."

Felicity felt exhausted, it was getting worse and worse ever since she left the bathroom. She had no power to carry on arguing and when she opened her mouth to beg Oliver once more to stop, she couldn't quite bring herself to speak up, so she rested her head and her eyes. It was just for a second, she thought, before she fell unconscious.

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><p>Felicity was sleeping pleasantly, except all of a sudden it wasn't so pleasant. She started wondering why her bed was so cold and stiff, and why her body felt like it had been hit by a truck. Suddenly a flash memory of a shattering glass attacked her mind and she bolted up, screaming.<p>

"Felicity, it's ok, you're ok, sshhh.. I've got you, you're fine, I've got you…" Oliver was hugging Felicity in an instant, stroking her hair gently, soothing her.

"What…" She swallowed as the fog in her mind was starting to disappear in the warmth of Oliver's embrace, "What happened? One moment you were going to go all Arrow on Ray and then…"

"Then you scared us to death when you lost consciousness," Diggle said from the other side of the bed. "You have a concussion, Felicity, we should have monitored you more closely, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," She breathed out, relieved, "it seemed to have kept you guys here, which is a very good thing in my book." Oliver and Diggle exchanged amused looks, happy and relieved to see she was acting like herself.

"Let's have a look at you," Diggle said as he turned Felicity away from Oliver's hug to lie back down as he examined her eyes. For that he could apologize, she thought to herself, missing the comforting warmth of Oliver's body.

"Felicity…" Oliver held her hand and sat on a chair near her, so their faces were close and on an even level. "I'm sorry I lost my senses a little bit earlier, I just… I can't see you like this… I promise, he will get what's coming to him and he will pay, and… it won't happen right now." He smiled as he saw the look of relief in her eyes. "I'm not leaving your side any time soon, you come first," he reassured her and squeezed her hand.

"You're gonna be OK, Felicity. Just, stay awake with us, it shouldn't be too painful – I gave you some 'aspirins'" Diggle chuckled before turning serious. "I'm gonna go clean this mess up, give you two a minute," he said with a meaningful look to Oliver.

Felicity wondered what was wrong now but Oliver was taking his time speaking up. "Oliver, what is it?" She turned her face to Oliver who still sitting very close to her, holding her hand, to her surprise looking what she could only describe as mortified. 'Oh oh, this can't be good' was the only thing going repeatedly through her mind in the long seconds it took him to start speaking.

He lowered his eyes for just a second before returning a very soft and loving gaze back to her eyes, which made her stop thinking altogether. "Felicity, we… I'm sorry I have to ask this, but… your clothes, and your bruises… at first we didn't think of it but then you were out and… we couldn't be sure, and we need to know if you need a hospital and more medical care… I… I need to know…"

"What are you trying to say, Oliver?" Felicity was baffled, thought it may be his beautiful eyes making her brain move slower than normal. Either that or the concussion.

"Did Ray… hurt you? I mean, your clothes are torn Felicity…" Oliver looked like all the hope he had in life was dependent on her response.

That moment realization dawned on her, and she was certain her face turned as red as humanly possible. "No! No! Absolutely not, no! No, he wouldn't do such a thing. I mean, well, yeah… he did just try to, well, kill me, so maybe I don't really know what he's actually capable of, especially seeing how I worked alongside the man for quite a while and knew absolutely nothing about his villain-esque nature, not to mention we actually dated – I cannot believe my taste in men, God, but no, no, he wouldn't… he didn't… no, oh God…" Felicity ended her hysteric mumble attack only due to a complete lack of air.

Oliver smiled softly at her with relief and kissed her forehead before getting up and drawing her into a tight hug. She could feel his body shaking, or hers, she couldn't tell them apart.

"Come on; let's get you somewhere more comfortable." Oliver helped her down from the bed and held on to her, not willing to let her go quite yet, which was a good thing because she stumbled on her feet when he asked, "Your place or mine?"

"What?"

"I'm not leaving you alone, you're still not cleared from the concussion, and even when you are – until the threat of Ray no longer exists – you won't be leaving my sight. Digg, get the car please. So, Felicity – your place or mine?"

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><p>Really hope you liked it, I had a lot of trouble with this one... would love your feedback!<p> 


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